The Effect of Collective Humiliation on Terrorist Radicalization

Abstract

Radical Muslims in West-Europe often state that their radical attitudes and behaviors are a reaction to perceived humiliation of their "Muslim brothers" in the Islamic world. Seemingly, they do not have to feel personally humiliated in order to radicalize; perceived humiliation of the in-group (e.g., cartoon crises) or its subgroups (e.g., Western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan; Palestine - Israel conflict) apparently suffices in triggering a radical shift in attitudes and behaviors in them. Focusing on radicalization among Muslims in the Netherlands, the project examines whether collective humiliation (the perception that ones in-group or its subgroups are humiliated) can contribute to radicalization, and to what degree this depends on the level of identification with the relevant in-group. The project uses a multi-disciplinary approach. First, experiments will be conducted that test the causal relationship between collective humiliation and radicalization. Thereafter, the experimentally investigated mechanisms will be applied to guide field research of Islamist inspired radicalization in The Netherlands.